Preferences of individually housed TO strain laboratory mice for loose substrate or tubes for sleeping

Sherwin, CM

doi:10.1258/002367796780684926

Cited by 30 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…None of the mice constructed nests with sawdust as described previously (Sherwin 1996a). Within 2-3 min of the nesting materials being placed in the cages, many mice had pulled the paper towel from the pot into the main cage, investigated, chewed and manipulated the sheet.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This was despite the mice having no prior experience of these materials or the opportunity to build nests other than heaping sawdust provided as floor substrate (see Sherwin 1996a). This indicates that housing non-breeding mice without nesting materials precludes them from performing a behaviour which is either innate or quickly learnt by a great proportion of laboratory mice (strain and sex differences notwithstanding).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Observations on the prevalence of nest-building in non-breeding TO strain mice and their use of two nesting materials

Sherwin

1997

Lab Anim

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SummaryThe spontaneous performance of nest-building behaviour by non-breeding laboratory mice suggests that routinely providing nesting material might be a suitable environmental enrichment. If nesting material is to be provided routinely, this should have characteristics which are preferred, or at least accepted by a considerable proportion of the animal population; it should also be inexpensive. The present study therefore examined the prevalence of nest-building behaviour in 39 individually-housed, non-breeding, female mice, and their preferences for a commercial nesting product and a less expensive source of material (paper towels). Within minutes of the materials being placed in the cages, the mice began manipulating the paper towels. Thirty-six of the mice subsequently constructed nests during the first dark phase after the materials had been placed in the cage -the remaining three mice constructed nests during the following 48 h. The nests were usually constructed from a mixture of the two materials, though observations indicated the mice might have preferred characteristics of the inexpensive paper towels. There was a strong tendency to build nests in the same location used for sleeping prior to the nesting material being provided, and similarly, the mice were conservative in the site chosen to build a second nest after the first was removed. The most frequently chosen site for nest-building was under the feeder. Other studies have reported a high motivation for nest-building behaviour, widespread performance amongst many strains, and nest-building as a thermoregulatory behaviour by animals housed in standard laboratory air temperature. In conjunction with these findings, the present results suggest that routinely providing paper towels is an inexpensive and practical means of environmental enrichment for non-breeding, laboratory mice.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Observations on the prevalence of nest-building in non-breeding TO strain mice and their use of two nesting materials

Sherwin

1997

Lab Anim

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“…But, there are strain‐dependent responses to tubes, as individually housed male TO mice do not use a tube for sleeping if sawdust is made available as bedding in the cage. Rather, these mice used the tube for refuge and as a latrine …”

Section: Implementing Environmental Enrichmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental enrichment and mouse models: Current perspectives

Bayne¹

2018

Anim Models and Exp Med

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The provision of environmental enrichment to numerous species of laboratory animals is generally considered routine husbandry. However, mouse enrichment has proven to be very complex due to the often contradictory outcomes (animal health and welfare, variability in scientific data, etc.) associated with strain, age of the animal when enrichment is provided, gender of the animal, scientific use of the animal, and other housing attributes. While this has led to some suggesting that mice should not be provided enrichment, more recently opinion is trending toward acknowledging that enrichment actually normalizes the animal and data obtained from a mouse living in a barren environment are likely not to be representative or even reliable. This article offers an overview of the types of impact enrichment can have on various strains of mice and demonstrates that enrichment not only has a role in mouse husbandry, but also can lead to new areas of scientific enquiry in a number of different fields. K E Y W O R D Sanimal welfare, environmental enrichment, mouse behavior, research validity | INTRODUCTIONThe laboratory mouse is a ubiquitously used research subject whose genetics, anatomy, physiology, immunology, and behavior have been studied in detail for generations. Thus, it would seem that providing a housing environment that is species-appropriate would be a simple matter. However, it would be a serious mistake to approach mouse enrichment as a one-size-fits-all husbandry procedure. The laboratory mouse is still considered behaviorally similar to wild mice in many dimensions 1(p150) , though it differs somewhat from the wildtype ancestor in its behavior, with running behavior and open-field freezing behavior, and a general higher level of activity more evident in wild-type mice than the laboratory bred animals.2 Over decades of purposeful breeding, a variety of characteristics (eg, ease of handling) were either deliberately or inadvertently introduced into the behavior profile of the laboratory mouse. Today, the increasing trend in the use of transgenic mice has only amplified the diversity of traits being bred for, and thus, the potential exists for both extant and subtle differences in mouse behavior and their response to their environment.The behavioral breadth of the species may help to account for the fact that the literature is replete with contradictory findings and diverse conclusions about the potential benefits and unexpected consequences from providing enrichment to laboratory mice.Indeed, an argument has been made that enriched animals produce different results; enrichment may increase between-subject variability; and enrichment may reduce replicability across laboratories. 3(p47-48) A simple response to these arguments could be that animals should not be provided enrichment. But, a counter-argument has been made that, as expected, the enriched animal model is different in many ways from the animal model living in a barren environment. 3(p47) Indeed, it is not logical to accept the notion that --

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“…When sawdust was present (for 11 days), male TO mice (n ¼ 6) preferred to use it to build nests to sleep in than to sleep in any of three available tubes. When sawdust was then removed (12 days), five of the six mice took to sleeping in the tubes, then reverted to sawdust when it was once again made available (Sherwin 1996a). Sherwin (1996b) found that male TO mice (n ¼ 6) defaecated non-randomly in their cages and preferred a substrate with sawdust to a bare plastic floor for this purpose; he concluded that conventional cage designs do not provide mice with a sufficient environment to allow selective hygienic behaviours.…”

Section: Social Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laboratory environments and rodents' behavioural needs: a review

Balcombe

2006

Lab Anim

148

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SummaryLaboratory housing conditions have significant physiological and psychological effects on rodents, raising both scientific and humane concerns. Published studies of rats, mice and other rodents were reviewed to document behavioural and psychological problems attributable to predominant laboratory housing conditions. Studies indicate that rats and mice value opportunities to take cover, build nests, explore, gain social contact, and exercise some control over their social milieu, and that the inability to satisfy these needs is physically and psychologically detrimental, leading to impaired brain development and behavioural anomalies (e.g. stereotypies). To the extent that space is a means to gain access to such resources, spatial confinement likely exacerbates these deficits. Adding environmental 'enrichments' to small cages reduces but does not eliminate these problems, and I argue that substantial changes in housing and husbandry conditions would be needed to further reduce them.

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Preferences of individually housed TO strain laboratory mice for loose substrate or tubes for sleeping

Cited by 30 publications

References 16 publications

Observations on the prevalence of nest-building in non-breeding TO strain mice and their use of two nesting materials

Observations on the prevalence of nest-building in non-breeding TO strain mice and their use of two nesting materials

Environmental enrichment and mouse models: Current perspectives

Laboratory environments and rodents' behavioural needs: a review

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